This invention relates to molded plastic drawers, and more particularly to a molded plastic drawer which is characterized by superior strength and guiding characteristics.
Recreational vehicles such as travel trailers, motor homes, and the like are frequently equipped with cabinets having guide rails. More recently, cabinets of this type have come into use in mobile homes, apartments, etc. In such instances it is necessary to provide drawers for the cabinets which have structure that receives the guide rails and thereby guides the drawers during inward and outward movement.
It is well known that drawers fabricated by the injection molding process are well suited for use in cabinets having guide rails. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,474 granted to the applicants herein on Mar. 12, 1974, discloses a molded plastic drawer which has gained wide-spread commercial acceptance. However, notwithstanding the relatively widespread use of molded plastic doors in such applications, a number of problems have remained unsolved. For example, in the case of relatively wide drawers, it has been found that central guide rails disposed above and below the drawer do not provide sufficient guiding to prevent skewing of the drawer as it is opened.
Co-pending applicaton Ser. No. 393,494 filed by the applicants herein on Sept. 4, 1973, discloses a drawer adapted for use in conjunction with cabinets having spaced, parallel guide rails situated both above and below the drawer. The drawer is in turn provided with structure for receiving the spaced, parallel guide rails to guide the drawer as it is opened and closed. The drawer is further characterized by reinforcing ribs on the bottom wall thereof which both serve to engage the bottom guide rails of the cabinet to guide the drawer and to engage structure at the front of the cabinet to retain the drawer in the closed condition. Drawers of this type are considered advantageous for use in recreational vehicles and similar applications wherein a relatively inexpensive drawer having structure for retaining the drawer in the closed condition during travel is desired. On the other hand, such a drawer has been found to be unsatisfactory for such applications as mobile homes, apartments, etc. due to the fact that the reinforcing structure on the bottom of the drawer causes interference with the normal opening and closing movements thereof.
The present invention comprises a molded plastic drawer which overcomes the foregoing and other problems. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a molded plastic drawer for use in cabinets having spaced, parallel guide rails includes a bottom wall having guide members on its underside which are positioned to receive the lower spaced, parallel guide rails of the cabinet. The guide members are located at the rear of the drawer and extend only a relatively short distance forwardly, whereby the guide members do not interfere with normal drawer movement. On the other hand, the guiding members provide superior guiding characteristics for the drawer as it is opened and closed, and also prevent the drawer from being inadvertently pulled out of the cabinet.
The drawer further comprises front, side and back walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The side walls and the back wall are provided with horizontal lips. However, the lip of the back wall is positioned substantially above the lips of the side walls and is equipped with grooves for receiving the upper spaced, parallel guide rails of the cabinet. By this means there is provided a shoulder extending entirely across the drawer which retains the drawer in the opened condition.
In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, the side and back walls of the drawer may be provided with a plurality of downwardly extending reinforcing ribs. Each rib may include a downwardly facing edge positioned in alignment with and spaced a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the corresponding portion of the horizontal lips of the drawer. By this means there is provided a series of stacking lugs spaced around the periphery of the drawer which serve to prevent excessive nesting of stacked drawers.